Oil cooled valve



p 1934- R. JARDINE 1,953,611

OIL COOLED VALVE Filed Feb. 16, 1931 INVENTOR Fake/d J? 2/1 My.

ATTORNEYS.

Patented Apr. 3, 1934 PATENT? OFFICE om COOLED VALVE Robert Jardine,Detroit, Mich, assigimr to Wilcox-Rich Corporation, a corporation ofMichigan Application February 16, 1931,8eria1 No. 516,068

Claims.

My invention relates to internal combustion engine valves andparticularly to valves of the poppet type and to means connecting thevalve to the actuator, such as a cam, which eliminates i continualadjustment for clearance, and to cooling means for such valves operablethrough and in conjunction with said connecting means.

It has been the practice in the past, when providing valves for internalcombustion engines, to

10 employ adjusting means adjacent to the end of the valve stem by meansof which suflicient clearance could be effected between the valve stemand the tappet for absorbing the expansion or lengthening of the valvestem which occurred when the valve became heated. When the clearancethus provided was too great, considerable noise was developed and whentoo small the valve head was prevented from completely seating and soonbecame pitted and burned away by the heat of the escaping gases. Someattempts, heretofore, have been made to muflie the noise developed whenthere is excessive clearance between the parts and other attempts havebeen made to minimize the expansion of the valve stem by cooling, all ofwhich have been more or less unsatisfactory.

By means of my invention I am able to reduce the necessary clearancebetween the valve and tappet to a minimum by actuating the valve fromits seat independently of the valve stem, provide means for cooling thetappet and insulating it to a substantial degree from the heat generatedaround the valve, provide means for cooling the valve head and stem, andprovide means for muflling eifectively such slight noise as may bedevelopedby engagement and re-engagement of the valve and tappet.

One object of my invention is to provide a valve of the above mentionedtype with a spring and an operating member, the former of which shallcooperate with the valve stem for biasing the valve to closed positionand the latter of which shall actuate the valve to open positionindependently of the valve stem.

Another object of my invention is to provide a valve of the abovementioned type with an operating member which shall apply an actuatingforce directly to the head of the valve and thereby eliminate theexpansion of the valve stem as a clearance factor in the adjustment ofthe parts.

A further object of my invention is to provide the operating member,which directly engages the head of a valve, with a fluid which shallfirst pass through the central bore of said member to cool it andthereafter pass over the outer surface of (Cl. 1231Tl) the member toinsulate it from the surrounding heat. I

A further object of my invention is to provide means for projectingfluid lubricant for cooling a valve and cooling and insulating theoperating member therefor and for supplying lubricant to the guidemembers of the valve for the purpose of lubrication.

With these and other objects, which shall become apparent, in mind, myinvention will be best understood by referring to the followingdescription in conjunction with the accompanying drawing, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a view in sectional elevation of. a valve embodying myinvention.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged top plan view of the ope ating member for thevalve shown in Fig. i.

Fig. 3 is a broken view, in elevation, of the structure shown in Fig. 2,and

Fig. 4 is a broken sectional view, in elevation, of a modified valveoperating structure which may be employed in conjunction with thestructure disclosed in Fig. 1.

My invention comprises, in general, a conduit 1 for a fluid which isprovided with a valve seat 2, a valve 3 which cooperates with the valveseat 2, operating means 4 which actuate the valve 3 toopen position, anda frame 5 which supports and guides the valve 3 and the operating member4.

It will be readily recognized, by one skilled in the art, that the frame5 is a portion of a cylinder block of an internal combustion engine andthat conduit 1 thereof is an intake or exhaust port for the cylinder. Itshould be home in mind that, while my valve was invented particularlyfor internal combustion engines, it may be employed advantageously onany structure requiring a valve which is subjected to changesintemperature. A fluid compressor is one example of a structure to whichmy valve readily adapts itself.

The valve 3 comprises a head 6 having a. face '7 of truncated conicalshape which cooperates with the valve seat 2 in the frame 5 tocompletely seal the conduit or fluid port 1. The valve head 6 isprovided with a stem 8 in the form of a hollow extension projecting fromthe under surface of the head. A valve stem guide 9 is provided in theframe 5 of such length and diameter that the valve stem is retained invertical position with the valve-head face 7 in exact alignment with thevalve seat 2.

The lower extremityof the valve stem 8 is provided with a removablespring-retaining member 10 which may be of any conventional type wellknown in the art. The spring-retaining member herein shown comprises apairof split members 11 of truncated conical shape provided with acorrugated central opening 12. The corrugations correspond to similarlyconstructed annular lands and grooves 13 provided about the lower end ofthe stem 8. A spring-engaging ring 14 having a central opening oftruncated conical shape, corresponding to the shape of the outer surfaceof the split members 11, is first slid over the stem 8 against the biasof a spring 15 which abuts against the valve stem guide 9. The splitmembers 11 are then placed about the lower end of the stem, the innercorrugations thereof engaging the lands and grooves 13 on the stem. Thespring-retaining means 14 is then released and is biased by the spring15 into firm engagement with the split members 10 in such manner thatthe downward bias of the spring, reacting on the valve-stem guide 9,causes the spring-retaining member 10 to firmly engage the valve stem 8and the valve 6 to be biased downwardly until its engaging face 7 isfirmly seated in the valve seat 2.

The valve operating mechanism 4 comprises a valve tappet 16 which isretained in alignment with the valve stem 8 by a tappet guide 17, whichis a portion of the frame 5. A valve tappet cam shaftl8 is providedbelow the valve tappet l6 and is of the conventional design, the mannerof operation of which is well known in the art.

The tappet 16 is of the conventional design with the exception of theprovision of a shouldered central bore 19 which is provided in its upperend and which communicates through passages 21 with an elongated annularchannel 22 provided in its outer surface, the purpose of which will bemore fully explained hereinafter. The upper enlarged portion of thebore- 19 in the tappet 16 engages and retains the lower end of a tubularextension 23 in prolongation of the tappet. The tubular extension 23projects within the hollow stem 8, of the valve 3, and directly engagesthe under side of the valve head 6.

An enlarged head 24 is provided on the upper end of the tubularextension 23, having cross slots 25 cut in its top surface which extenddownwardly across the side surface of the head to constitutecommunicating passages with the central opening of the hollow tubularextension 23. The head and the passages are more clearly illustrated inthe enlarged views of Figs. 2 and 3.

A supply conductor 26 is provided in the wall of the tappet guide 17 andis in direct communication with the elongated annular channel 22 of thetappet 16. As the tappet moves upwardly and downwardly, in conformitywith the movementofthe cam 18, the channel 22 is of such length as to bein constant communication with the supply conductor 26, and to be alwaysenclosed within the confines of the tappet guide 1'7.

The supply conductor 26 is in communication with a pump for supplying acooling fluid to the tappet and the hollow extension, which pump is notdisclosed in the drawing and may be a separate distinct element initself although I prefer to connect the supply conductor 26 directly tothe pump of the high pressure oil feed line which is customarilyprovided with the conventional type of internal combustion engines orsimilar. devices.

Such a connection is further advantageous when the lubricating featureof the oil is utilized in a manner which will be explained hereinafter.

It is to be understood that fluids other than oil, such as water, airand the like, may be emtappet 16, is also in its uppermost positionbearing directly against the under portion of the valve head 6.Accordingly, the valve head 6 is shown unseated and raised to itsuppermost position against the bias of the spring 15. While in thisposition, oil is being fed through the conductor 26 through the channel22, the passages 21 to the centralbore 19 of the tappet 16, from whichit flows upwardly through the tubular extension 23 across the slots 25in the head of the extension and downwardly across the outer surface ofthe extension and within the hollow portion of the valve stem 8.

In this construction, the cool oil, passing through the center of thetubular extension 23, cools the extension and, upon passing between thetubular extension and the valve stem, insulates the extension from theheat of the stem.

The passage of the fluid'through the slots 25 causes the fluid tointimately contact with the head 6 of the valve 3 and thereby cools thevalve head and also cushions and muflies the engagement of the members.

It will be noted that by cooling and insulating the tappet extension 23,its temperature will remain substantially constant and lower than thatof the valve head 6 and its associated stem 8. It therefore follows thatany elongation of tappet extension 23 due to heat, is minimized andsubstantially less than that of the valve stem in conventionalconstructions. The only changes that efiect the valve setting are thosedue to the expansion and contraction of the valve head itself which isvery slight, and the expansion and contraction of the extension 23 whichwould also-be very slight owing to its continually cool condition. It istherefore apparent that very little clearance between the parts isrequired to take care of the expansion thereof.

When employing a cooled tappet extension in direct communication withthe valve head, as above described, the extension can be directlyconnected to the tappet and no means for adjustment need be necessarilyprovided for changing the over-all dimension of the tappet andextension. However, if it should be desirable to provide some adjustmentbetween the hollow extension 23 and the tappet 16, in order to regulatethe clearance between the tappet head 28 and the cam 18, I havedisclosed such a feature in Fig. 4. I have-provided a protuberance 29 onthe lower wall of the tappet extension 23 in the shape of a hexagon nutwhich may be engaged by a wrench in a well known manner. The surface ofthe hollow extension 31 between the hexagon-shaped protuberance 29 isthreaded and is screwed into the bore'32 provided in the upper end ofthe tappet 16 which has been threaded to receive the thread of thehollow extension 31. A lock nut 33 is provided on the threaded sectionof the extension 31 between the top of the tappet 16 and theprotuberance 29. The proper adjustment is effected after loosening thenut 33, by turning the hexagon-shaped protuberance 29 to the right orleft, as-the case may be, to lengthen orshorten, respectively, theover-all dimension of the extension 23 and the tappet 16. The extension23'is then retained in place while the lock nut 33 is jammed against thetop of the tappet 16.

The presence of the fluid under pressure, between the surface of thehead 24 and the under surface of the valve head 6, cushions theengagement of the surfaces and substantially reduces the noisecustomarily effected by the valve actuation. The downward thrust to theextension, and tappeteffected by the fluid, retains the tappet in firmengagement with the cam. after the valve is seated, to thereby preventtheir disengagement and to eliminate the noise heretofore produced bytheir subsequent engagement. The pressure desirable for this functionand also for cushioning the contact between the valve andextension maybe controlled to some extent by the size of the notches in the head ofthe extension in relation to the size of the bore through the extension,and also by regulating the pressure in the fluid line. i

I have taken advantage of the employment of a lubricating oil as acooling medium and its passage along the inner surface of a hollow valvestem 8, by providing an aperture 27 in the side wall of the stem, thatis always contained within the confines of the valves guide 9. In thisconstruction, the downwardly flowing all within the stem 8 communicates,through the aperture 27, with the surface of the guide 9 to therebylubricate the guide and valve stem and prevent wear between theirrubbing surfaces. Any excess oil from the guide 9, reaching the outersurface of the lower portion of the valve stem 8, flows downwardlythereon and joins the oil or lubricating fluid which passes outwardlyfrom the bottom of the valve stem 8. This fluid is collected at a commonpoint from which it is constantly being propelled, by means of a pump,through the conductor 26 and the valve stem 3 in a manner referred toheretofore.

The passage of the liquid through the conductor 26 and the channel 22also lubricates the tappet 16 and the associated guide 1'7 to preventwear between their engaging surfaces. It is to be understood that thefluid collected at a common point may be cooledin any manner well knownin the art before being again circulated through. the valve stem. WhileI disclose an operating member for the valve head which is provided witha cooling and insulating means, it is to be understood that other meanssuch as non-expansible metal, compensating strips, or the like, may besubstituted therefor and still come within the purview of my invention.

It will be further noted that the forces for moving the valve to openand to closed positions are applied at opposite ends of the valve stem,which is an advancement in the internal combustion engine art.

While I have described and illustrated two embodiments of my invention,it ,will be apparent to anyone skilled in the art, that many changes,omissions, additions and substitutions may be made therein withoutdeparting from the spirit and scope of my invention, as set forth in theaccompanying claims.

I claim as my invention:

1. A valve for the seat of a fluid conducting port having a head and ahollow stem, means for operating the valve to open position includingmeans in operative relation withthe valve head extending through saidhollow stem and. movable relative thereto.

2. A valve for the seat of a fluid conducting port having a head and ahollow stem, means for operating the valve to open position includingmeans in operative relation with the valve head extending through saidhollow stem and movable relative thereto, and means for cooling the lastsaid means.

3. The combination with a fluid conducting.

port provided with a valve seat, of a valve cooperating with said seatand comprising a head and a stem, means associated with said stem forbiasing said valve into engagement with said seat and means operableindependently of said stem for moving said valve from .said seat.

4. The combination with a fluid conducting port provided with a valveseat, of a valve cooperating with said seat and comprising a head and astem, means associated with said stem for biasing said valve intoengagement with said seat and means separate from but directlyengageable with said head for moving said valve from said seat.

5. The combination with a fluid conducting port provided with a valveseat, of a valve cooperating with said seat and comprising a head and astem, means associated with said stem for biasing said valve intoengagement with said seat, means operable independently of said stem formoving said valve from said seat and means for cooling the last saidmeans.

6. The combination with a fluid conducting port provided with a valveseat, of a valve cooperating with said seat and comprising a head and astem, means associated with said stem for biasing said valve intoengagement with said seat, means operable independently of said stem formoving said valve from said seat and means for thermally protecting thelast said means from the heat of said valve.

'7. The combination with a fluid conductor having a valve seatassociated therewith, of a valve for said seat including a head and ahollow stem, a guide associated with said stem, a projection on thelower portion of said stem, a spring associated with said projection forbiasing said valve into engagement with said seat, a tappet, a cam foractuating said tappet and an extension associated with said tappet andengageable with said valve head within said stem. for moving said valveagainst the bias of said spring from engagement with said seat when saidtappet is actuated by said cam.

8. The combination with a fluid conductor having a valve seat associatedtherewith, of a valve for said seat including a head and a hollow stem,a guide associated with said stem, a projection on the lower portion ofsaid stem, a spring associated with said projection for biasing saidvalve into engagement with said seat, a tappet, a hollow extensionassociation with said tappet for engaging said valve head within saidstem and means for conducting a cooling fluid within said hollowextension into engagement with said head and. stem.

9. The combination with a fluid conductor having a valve seat associatedtherewith, of a valve for said seat including a head and a hollow stem,a guide associated with said stem, a projection on the lower portion ofsaid stem, a spring associated with said projection for biasing saidvalve into engagement with said seat, a tappet, a guide for said tappet,conducting ports between said guide and tappet for a fluid, a hollowextension associated with the port in said tappet and engageable withsaid valve head within said stem and a cooling fluid conductibie throughsaid port and hollow extension into engagement with said head and stem.

10. The combination with a fluid conductor having a valve seatassociated therewith, of a valve for said seat including a head andhoilow stem, a guide associated with said stem, a projection on thelower portion of said stem, a spring associated with said projection forbiasing said valve into engagement with said seat, a tappet, a hollowextension associated with said tappet for engaging said valve headwithin said stem and an outlet port in the wall of said hollow stemwithin the confines of said guide for the stem.

11. The combination with a valve having a hollow stem and a hollowtappet extending within said stem and engageable with the head of saidvalve, of a cooling fluid under pressure conductible through said hollowtappet and stem for cushioning the engagement between the tappet andvalve head.

12. The combination with a valve having a hollow stem and a hollowtappet extending within said stem and engageable with the head of saidvalve, of a cooling fluid under pressure conductible through said hollowtappet and stem i'or cushioning the engagement between the tappet andvalve head and for biasing the tappet at all times against its actuatingmember.

13. The combination with a valve having a hollow stem and a hollowtappet extending within said stem and engageable with the head of saidvalve, of a lubricant conductible through said hollow tappet and stemfor cushioning the engagement between the tappet and valve head.

14. The combination with a valve having a hollow stem and a hollowtappet extending within said stemand engageable with the head of saidvalve, of a lubricant conductible through said holllowtappet and stemfor cushioning the engagement between the tappet and valve head andcushioning the engagement between the tappet and valve head, forlubricating said tappet and stem and for supplying a torce for retainingthe tappet against its actuating member.

ROBERT J ARDINE.

